The Subtleties of Undercover Dating
by somewhereinthedreams
Summary: "Hi, I'm Special Agent Mike Warren. I work undercover for the FBI." Set during Season 1, Episode 2: Heat Run.
1. Chapter 1: Hooking Up

"Okay, don't look now, but there is a pretty girl at the bar that has been staring at you all night. Go get her."

"It's been a crazy day. I don't feel like creating some elaborate lie right now. Can I just be myself and hang with you guys? All right?" Mike asked.

He was still getting used to the idea of being undercover. Being someone else for work was one thing, but he didn't want to have to be someone else when he wasn't working. He wanted to relax. He couldn't do that when he was trying to remember who he was and not to share too much information about himself. He didn't want to have to pretend to be someone different. Be guarded. Lie to someone from the get-go. Not that he was looking to propose to someone tonight or even start a relationship. He just wanted to be himself.

Not that the girl Paige was referring to wasn't pretty. She was. But he just wasn't in the mood to meet anyone and have to remember who he was supposed to be. Even if he could be himself tonight, he wasn't sure he wanted to meet someone new. Be on. Try to impress someone.

"Well, I want to hook up with someone and that's not going to happen with you beside me, so - hold that." Paige handed him her pool cue and started to make her way across the bar towards the brunette in question.

Mike quickly set down their pool cues as he rushed to catch her. "Hey."

"I want to hook up and you're scaring all the hot guys away."

"_He's cute, right?"_

"_Yeah, he's hot."_

He barely knew Paige. But he knew her well enough to know she was a serial flirter. It didn't necessarily mean anything that she said he was hot the night they meant, or even that she slapped his ass, but he was pretty confident that his attraction wasn't one-sided. For once, he wasn't going to overthink things. He was just going to act.

Mike reached for Paige's wrist and maneuvered her so her back was to the wall. He backed her up against the wall so there would be no mistaking his intent. "Hi, I'm Special Agent Mike Warren. I work undercover for the FBI." Now that this was happening, he was starting to question himself. Maybe this was a bad idea. Paige wasn't just some random girl he met at the bar. They lived together. If things went horribly wrong, that still didn't change the fact that they'd be having breakfast together for the foreseeable future.

"Mike..." Paige breathed out his name slowly, making him wonder how warm her breath would be when she whispered his name as he moved over her.

Any misgivings he had about making a move on Paige quickly faded with that one word. He was so screwed. He was more into her than he thought. Even though he should probably walk away, there was no way he could.

"I told you, I want to be myself tonight. You want to hook up with someone hot. You said I was hot. So..."

Paige looked at Mike in disbelief before running her hand down his chest. "I might regret this later, but that's one hell of a pick up line." Paige's lips curved into a smile and he was positive his heart skipped a beat.

Giving Paige a cocky grin, he stepped closer so there was barely any space between them. "Yeah, this girl I know - she mentioned it might be. Thought I'd try it out."

"This girl you mentioned, she hot?"

Mike lowered his head slightly, so his mouth was hovering over Paige's, hoping she couldn't feel that his heart was about to beat out of his chest. "Definitely." As much as he wanted to kiss her, he was going to leave the next move to her. He had already made his move, now it was up to her to act on it. If she didn't want this, she could push him away. No harm, no foul. His pride would be somewhat in tact. But if he kissed her and she pushed him away, he would never hear the end of it.

Paige grabbed his shirt, erasing what little distance there was between them as she crushed her lips against his.

Not sensing the least bit in hesitation in Paige, he kissed her back with the same ferocity as he moved his hands to her hips. She rubbed herself against him and he groaned, looking forward to the night ahead. He barely knew Paige, but he was positive she could be his undoing. He could easily get lost in her eyes. He couldn't wait to see her eyes filled with desire when he pushed her over the edge.

Paige playfully bit his lower lip, before softly kissing it in a silent apology as she pulled away. Giving him a playful smirk, she brushed her lips over his before bringing her mouth near his ear. "Special Agent, huh? That mean you have a gun?"

"What do you think?" Mike asked, pressing himself against her. Normally, he would never be this forward with someone he was picking up in a bar. But he had a feeling that Paige wasn't the shy about sex. "Unless, I'm happy to see you."

Paige threw her head back laughing and rested her hand on his chest, "I'm seriously rethinking this whole thing due to your bad pickup line."

She couldn't be serious, could she? After a kiss like that she was turning him down because of a bad pickup line? She practically set him up for that line. As he caught the mischievous look in her eye, he realized she wasn't turning him down. It was just part of her game. "You could, but then you'd be going home alone."

"I don't have to go home."

"Neither do I."

Paige narrowed her eyes at him and he flashed a smile, daring her to call his bluff.

"That pretty girl from earlier, she stopped staring. Unless, you're curious if Johnny's offering more than a kiss for luck, it looks like you're stuck with me."

"Is that so?" Mike asked, possessively running his fingers along her face and down her throat, pressing down harder once felt her heart racing because he was being a little aggressive.

"You're not going to fall in love with me or anything like that? My roommates tend to get in my business and things could get a little awkward if you start serenading me outside my door every night."

Mike laughed, "I think I'll be able to control myself, unless you want me to lose control." He lowered his mouth to hers again, starting out slowly but with each passing second their kisses became deeper. He kept one hand tangled in her hair, as his other hand roamed her body, stopping only to grab her ass. A whimper escaped Paige's throat and she lifted her leg, trying to pull him closer as she wrapped it around him. Mike slid his hand underneath the bottom of her shorts and rocked his body against hers a few times, wishing they were anywhere but the corner of a bar, because he was this close to taking her despite being in public.

Paige lowered her leg to the ground and looked at him with lust filled eyes, "We should probably get out of here before we both lose control," Paige breathlessly whispered.

Mike nodded, smoothing his hands over Paige's hair, giving them both a chance to catch their breath. He wanted to get her out of here before she changed her mind. He draped his arm over Paige's shoulders and started to lead her out of the bar, when he noticed the rest of their roommates watching them with knowing looks. He had completely forgotten they were here too. "Looks like we'll be the topic of discussion during breakfast."

Paige shrugged and kissed him, before waving to their roommates, "Then let's give them a lot to talk about."


	2. Chapter 2: The Morning After

**A/N: Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. I originally planned on this being a oneshot...then decided to add another part. I don't have a plot in mind for this fic, so consider this a oneshot series even though I have everything rolled into the same fic. Which I did for two reasons - one, I really like the title & two, even though I feel like each chapter can stand alone, they do build upon each other. Don't expect regular updates for this because I have no clue what the next chapter holds.**

* * *

><p>"Where are you going?" Mike asked, reaching out to pull Paige back into his arms.<p>

Paige allowed Mike's arms to wrap around her from behind, smiling as her body perfectly curved to his. Mike pushed her hair aside and started kissing her shoulder, as his hands wandered beneath the blanket. As much as she would love to linger in bed and go another round with Mike, she had work to do. "You're seriously tempting me." From what she heard from everyone, the rookie was an early bird and went running before sunrise. It was way past sunrise.

"Only tempting?" Mike asked, sliding closer so her backside was flush against his front. "I'll just have to try harder." Mike started trailing kisses along her neck as his fingers moved lower.

Sighing happily, she was this close to giving in when her phone buzzed. Groaning she reached for phone to read the text. "I need to check in about Bobby Moi at Headquarters," Paige said, laying down on her stomach, burying her face into her pillow. She couldn't wait to be finished with this case.

Mike pushed the blanket aside as he started kissing his way up her spine before settling in to kiss her neck, "When?"

"A little over an hour."

Knowing he was defeated, Mike rolled over so he was lying on his back. "Need help with anything?"

"I'll let you know after I check in. I'm working on something with Briggs." Paige reluctantly climbed out of bed and started sorting through the pile of clothes on her bedroom floor. She tossed Mike his clothes and wrapped a towel around herself before she changed her mind, because seeing Mike laid out like that - his hair mussed and his skin marred with marks from her lips and nails - in her bed made her want to reschedule her meeting. But she had worked too long on this case to delay the final piece of the puzzle that could send Bobby Moi behind bars. "Go shower and meet me downstairs."

"You're going to make me do the walk of shame to my room?" Mike playfully asked, getting out of bed and pulling on his boxer briefs.

"No shame, Mike," Paige said, walking over to him. She kissed him slowly, wanting to erase whatever doubts and insecurities might be surfacing for him. Last night was incredible. Beyond incredible and she wasn't sure what it meant. If it meant anything. If it was a one-time thing or maybe the start of something. But if there was one thing she was sure of, it was that she wasn't ashamed to have spent the night with him. And she definitely wasn't opposed to it happening again. "It's the got laid parade."

"Well, in that case," Mike began and tugged on the edge of her towel.

"Later, okay?" She was this close to inviting him to shower with her, but she didn't trust either of them to keep their hands to themselves and she was on a bit of a time crunch, and squeezing in shower sex into an already busy morning didn't seem like the best idea. Although, the thought of Mike on his knees in front of her with hot water cascading over them was making her rethink things.

"Later, then." Mike reached for her hand and kissed it before she walked out of her room.

Half an hour later, she wandered downstairs, prepared for the teasing that was sure to ensue. Tactful roommates wouldn't say a word. But their roommates were anything but tactful. Tossing her wet hair up in a loose bun, she headed straight to the coffee maker. "Morning."

"Seems like you're in a good mood," Charlie said, giving her a knowing look. "Any particular reason?"

"I can think of a few." Everyone knew she and Mike slept together. There was no point in denying it. "Multiple, actually." Charlie looked at her, impressed, and the two of them started laughing, ignoring the eyerolls of their male roommates.

"We'll talk later," Charlie said, placing her hand on Paige's arm.

"Definitely." Grabbing a coffee mug, Paige poured herself a cup of coffee, grateful for the caffeine because she had a long day ahead of her and she had barely gotten any sleep the night before. Not that she was complaining.

"If it isn't the man of the hour. I thought you'd still be asleep," Briggs said as Mike entered the kitchen.

Paige turned, meeting Mike's eyes briefly and quickly smiled at him before grabbing another coffee mug to pour him a cup.

"Is it considered cheating if you're my fake boyfriend?"

Johnny slapped Mike on the shoulder, "Tell me everything, son. And I mean _everything_."

Everyone groaned.

"I don't kiss and tell," Mike said, winking at Paige.

"Come on, Mikey, at least tell me one thing," Johnny said.

"You want details?" Paige asked, walking across the kitchen. "Mike does this amazing thing with his tongue, where he - "

"Shut up! Not those kind of details," Johnny said, swatting her as she walked by him.

Laughing, she handed Mike a cup of coffee before hopping on the nearest stool.

"No run this morning, Mikey Mike?" Briggs asked.

"Good sex is a workout."

"I'll say," Paige said. This was going pretty well, considering. She learned a while ago that the best way to deal with Johnny was to make him uncomfortable. And it didn't seem like Mike was too embarrassed and things weren't so horribly awkward. This was the first time she had ever been involved with someone at Graceland and if she had fully thought things through, she probably wouldn't have slept with Mike. Things could get messy and it could affect their cases. Their jobs were stressful enough, that living with someone you worked with _and_ were sleeping would could complicate everything. But maybe Mike was right. Maybe creating the elaborate lie and compartmentalizing her life was what complicated things. Then again, she was over thinking things. They spent one night together. It wasn't like she needed to pick out china patterns.

Johnny groaned, "Enough with you two."

"Problem Johnny? You want to play with the big boys? Let me assure you that Mike here is a very - "

Jakes shoved a muffin in Paige's mouth, "Sounds like you worked up an appetite, eat."

Everyone laughed and Paige took a bite of the muffin before setting it down on the counter.

"Paige, find me later," Charlie said before leaving, with Briggs and Jakes trailing behind her.

Mike sat down next to Paige and Johnny leaned against the counter across from them, "So..." Johnny said.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Mike asked. "Isn't there a mandatory seminar for TAC team leads?"

"That's not until later."

"No, I heard Briggs tell Charlie - "

"This isn't over!" Johnny said, pointing to the pair before hurrying out of the kitchen.

Paige looked at Mike suspiciously, "The time didn't get changed, did it?"

Mike shrugged as he got up to pour himself a bowl of cereal, "It got moved to later, not earlier."

"Johnny's going to kill you."

"He can consider it payback for making sure I drank Jakes' juice my first day."

"Yeah, Jakes doesn't really like to share and flips out a little if you steal his food, but he's a good guy."

"Speaking of stealing," Mike said, reaching out to touch her sleeve. "That's my shirt."

"It is, isn't it?" Paige asked. "I think it looks better on me."

Mike moved behind her, leaning forward so he could whisper, "Looks good on you. It looks even better on the floor."

"Down boy."

Mike kissed her neck, before sitting down next to her. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. It's just - everything's new and we live together and we have roommates and we are roommates."

"Look, Paige, I like you and I think you like me too. But if what happened with us last night was a one time thing, I'm not going to pressure you. I'm not that kind of guy. If you want me to back off and keep my distance, just say the word."

"Last night was incredible, but to be perfectly honest, I'm not looking for a boyfriend. But..." Paige leaned forward to softly kiss him, "There's no reason why we can't have some fun, if you're game."


	3. Chapter 3: On the Job

**A/N: To reiterate there isn't an overarching plot to this. I feel that each chapter can stand alone as a oneshot, but I decided to put them all in the same universe as a collection. The title of each chapter should be a good indicator of what subtlety is navigated re: 'dating' your roommate.**

* * *

><p>"So, I'll be in touch with you about..." Mike's voice trailed off, not wanting to complete that sentence since he and Agent Badillo had moved from his office. He still thought it was risky to meet with Badillo at Headquarters in case Briggs got overly suspicious about his therapist.<p>

"Sure thing. We're on for our regular appointment, right?"

"Absolutely," Mike said. He'd be relieved when he could stop lying about his therapy appointments. Since that first night, everyone had stopped giving him grief about needing them. But he wondered if it wasn't in the back of their minds. Wondered if it made them doubt him as an agent. Mike shook his head, reminding himself that _this_ was his assignment and his ticket back to DC. But that didn't mean he didn't want to do a good job with his other assignments too.

"I'll see you Thursday," Badillo said, shaking his hand.

"Thursday it is." Mike watched Badillo head back to his office and he pulled out his phone, wondering if he had anything else to take care of now that he was here. He looked up, only to see Paige being led through the building in handcuffs.

His pulse sped up as he slowly raked his eyes over her body, remembering how it was just last night that those long legs were wrapped around him in the shower. Paige was wearing a short white dress that would almost be indecent if not for the leather jacket she was wearing over it. As much as he wanted to go over to Paige and see what she was wearing underneath that dress, he couldn't. Paige was undercover and he was technically on the clock.

It had been a few weeks since they started sleeping together and he was still trying to figure out how to navigate things. How to keep whatever was happening with Paige separate from work. It wasn't like they were dating. They were friends with benefits. They just happened to work together occasionally. And live together. Which made things so much more complicated.

It wasn't like he had never dated anyone before. Not that he and Paige were dating. Not that he was even looking for a girlfriend. With his schedule and the lies that would come with it, he was pretty sure he didn't have time for a girlfriend anyways. Besides, he was fine with their arrangement. He got to have sex with a hot girl without any of the complications of having a girlfriend. But sleeping with Paige wasn't without its own set of complications. While he didn't have to lie about who he was and what he did, he had to lie to her about investigating Briggs. As if that wasn't a disaster in the making, he was never sure how to act around her, unless they were alone.

If they were by themselves, they were all over each other. Lips and hands were free to wander. Explore. Tease. Taste. It was okay to touch her. Flirt. Kiss. When their roommates were around, he wasn't sure how to act. They (mostly) kept their hands to themselves if their roommates were around despite being in that all-consuming stage at the beginning of a relationship, _if_ this counted as a relationship. When they were working, you could barely tell they were co-workers. Even now, Paige had just uncuffed herself, but he wasn't clear on the rules. Wasn't clear if it was okay to approach her as anything more than a coworker. Because with her wearing that, he was positive he wouldn't be able to keep his hands to himself.

Paige leaned against the edge of the desk, crossing her ankles as she smoothed her hands over her too short skirt, drawing attention to her bare legs and her gold strappy heels. What he wouldn't give to be able kiss his way up her smooth legs and settle himself between her thighs with those heels digging into his back. Mike groaned, wishing one of them had an office here and he could just drag her in there and lock the door. As if Paige sensed she was being watched, she looked around the room, smiling once she spotted him.

He offered her a small wave and debated approaching her when he saw her supervisor walking down the hall. Going back to his phone, he sent her a quick text.

_You free after this? The Drop?_

The second he hit send, he wondered if he was pushing boundaries. If his text fell out of the category of friends or roommates or friends with benefits and if it was more in the category of dating. He wasn't trying to mess up the arrangement they had going.

"Agent Warren - I have that file on Bello you asked for."

Grateful for the distraction, Mike accepted the file from the receptionist, "Thank you." His phone buzzed and he apologetically smiled at her, "I have to take this. Thanks, again."

"No problem."

Checking his phone, he smiled when he saw Paige's response.

_Give me an hour. See you soon._

About an hour later, he was leaning over the bar unsuccessfully trying to get the bartender's attention when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm Special Agent Paige Arkin, I work undercover for the DEA," Paige whispered in his ear. She kissed his neck, while running her hand down his chest.

Mike laughed softly when he realized he finally had the bartender's attention, although he was pretty sure it had more to do with the beautiful blonde standing behind him than it actually being his turn. He ordered two beers and turned around. Leaning against the bar, he rested his hands on Paige's hips. "Are you trying to pick me up Agent Arkin?"

"That depends on if it's working."

"It's definitely working."

"Good." Paige brushed her lips over his.

Any anxiety he felt about pushing the boundaries earlier slipped away as she kissed him. "You changed," Mike commented, noticing she traded her white dress and heels for a jean skirt, t-shirt and sandals.

"Does the overdressed _real housewife_ look do it for you?" Paige teased, hooking her fingers in the belt loops of his jeans to pull him closer, so he was pressed up against her.

"No," Mike quickly said, unsure if he wanted to reveal just how turned on he had been earlier. "But you still - earlier - now - I mean you always look good. Incredible."

Paige laughed, tracing her fingers over his lips. "Tongue-tied? I'm flattered. And. You. Are. Adorable," Paige whispered, punctuating each word with a kiss.

"Adorable?" Mike asked, unsure on if he should be offended or not.

Paige nodded. "It just so happens that I have a thing for adorable." Page kissed him again before settling her lips on his neck. He groaned as she took advantage of the fact that her body was shielding his as her hand pressed firmly against the front of his jeans while she sucked on his neck hard enough to leave a mark. Paige lifted her head to meet his gaze, giving him a mischievous grin. "Is this going to mess up your cover?"

He looked at her incredulously. Why was she stopping? She was worried about his cover? Right now? Seriously?

"Still tongue-tied?" Paige asked, softly kissing his neck as she tugged on his hair.

"I don't think it matters if Mike the Marine has a girlfriend, but it will probably lead to questions about you and it's better if you're not on Bello's radar." He had a good working relationship with Bello. Under different circumstances, he could see himself liking Bello. Respecting him. But that didn't change the fact that Bello was ruthless. The last thing he wanted to do was give Bello any kind of insight to his personal life, let him know that there was a woman he was involved with and open her up to being a target.

Paige lightly rubbed her fingers where she had been kissing him moments earlier. "It should bother me that you kind of belong to another guy - "

"Don't even go there," Mike warned. So many of the angles Paige worked for her cases involved her being someone's girlfriend to get info. He had to keep reminding himself that he had no right to be jealous. That despite her hanging all over some two bit drug dealer at a club, it was his bed she spent her nights in.

"Let's not talk about work," Paige said, reaching behind him to grab their beers. She handed one to him and clinked her bottle against his, "To being off the clock."

Mike took a drink before setting his beer behind him. He did the same with Paige's after she took a drink. "So you're all done with that case?"

"Yes."

Mike brushed her hair back from her face, "You're amazing." As much as he was attracted to Paige, he really respected her as an agent. He leaned forward to softly kiss her, "Do you want to play a game of pool?"

"You don't really want to play pool, do you?"

Instead of answering, Mike kissed her hard, leaving them both breathless, letting her know exactly what he wanted. "I want you." He still wasn't clear on what they were doing. On what the rules and boundaries were. But what he was clear on was that it was okay to want her. "Leave with me now and you can mark me anywhere you want - on one condition."

"Keep it hidden from Bello, got it." Paige reached for his hand, "Let's get out of here."

"No, those heels you had on earlier, you have to wear those."

Paige leaned forward, stopping just short of kissing him. "Just those?" Paige whispered against his lips. He nodded and she playfully bit his lower lip before kissing him. "Agent Warren, you have a deal." Snaking her arms around his neck, she kissed his jaw as she tugged on his hair to pull his head back, leaving his neck exposed. "I'm going to make you mine."


	4. Chapter 4: Bonfires

One of the benefits of living on the beach was being able to have a bonfire whenever. Paige was pretty sure the only thing that stopped them from having bonfires every night was their caseloads. But with the kind of work they did, it was nice to unwind as a group. Have a drink. Laugh. Share some of the crazy things they encountered during the day.

Paige slowly looked around the bonfire, debating where to sit. She and Mike had been sleeping together for almost a month. Not every night, but fairly regularly. They hadn't _talked_ about if their thing was turning into something more.

Once their roommates figured out they weren't bothered by being teased about sleeping together, the teasing died down considerably. It also helped that she and Mike weren't (always) all over each other unless they were alone. But since their schedules didn't always match up, they had come up with a way to let the other know if they wanted company. If their door was cracked open at night, it was an open invitation. The first time she left her door cracked and Mike didn't come in, she was slightly annoyed until he stumbled home from driving Bello around all night while she was getting breakfast. That same night it was her turn to work all day and most of the night, and when she finally made it home she saw his door cracked. She must've stood in the hallway for five minutes while she figured out what to do. She barely had energy to crawl into her own bed, much less Mike's. But she remembered being slightly put off when she thought he wasn't interested. If they weren't dating and they weren't interested in sex - then what were they to each other?

_Paige slipped into Mike's room, quietly closing the door behind her. As tempted as she was to climb into bed with him, the only thing on her mind tonight was sleep, but she didn't want him to think she wasn't interested._

"_Mike?" She quietly asked, not wanting to wake him. She thought about getting in bed with him anyway and just going to sleep, but wasn't sure if that crossed some boundary. She laughed softly to herself when she realized just sleeping crossed a line, but sex didn't._

"_Hey," Mike sleepily said as his eyes slowly opened._

"_I had a really long day, but I saw your door open. I know you were with Bello last night and tonight I spent forever on surveillance. I just didn't..."_

_She wasn't sure how long she stood there, awkwardly rambling before Mike climbed out of bed._

_He lightly brushed his lips over hers, "You can sleep here, if you want."_

_Now that his lips had touched hers and his hands were around her waist, she debated staying but knew if she stayed, she wouldn't sleep. Paige lightly trailed her fingers down his chest, resting them on the waistband of his boxers. "I'm tempted, but if you're right here, I know I won't sleep and I - "_

_Mike softly kissed her, silencing her. "It's okay."_

"_Tomorrow, okay?"_

"_It's a date."_

When they got together the next night, things were _explosive_. In fact, she still had bruises on her hips and was pretty sure Mike's back was still scratched up. She flushed as she thought about the love bites that decorated her body, hidden beneath her clothes.

Mike noticed her hesitation and motioned to the spot next to him. Ignoring the smirk from Johnny, she went to sit next to Mike.

"Hey," Paige quietly said as she scooted closer to him.

Mike slid his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, "Busy day?"

Most of the time when they kissed, it was a prelude to sleeping together. But this, just being together like this was nice. She loved sleeping with Mike. The sex was incredible and she felt safe to push her sexual boundaries and explore things. But she was starting to feel like they were more than just sex. More than friends with benefits and she wasn't sure how to address it with Mike. If she should, because Mike seemed fine with their arrangement. The arrangement that was her idea. Pushing thoughts about their arrangement out of her mind, she shook her head and turned slightly to face him. "I'll spare you the boring details, but the good news is I closed my case."

"Yeah? That's great news." Mike held up his beer bottle and clinked it against hers. He started to take a drink but lowered his bottle and reached for hers. Setting both of them down, he grabbed her hand and examined it. "What happened?" Mike lightly traced his fingers over the broken skin on her knuckles before rubbing his thumb over the bruise on her wrist.

Smiling slightly at his concern, she met his eyes. "Some asshole thought it would be a good idea to resist arrest and he grabbed my wrist and threw me against the wall."

"You okay?" Mike asked, softly kissing her hand.

Not minding the extra attention, she turned her wrist slightly so Mike could see the rest of her bruise, smiling when he kissed that too. She didn't normally let guys dote on her like that, she wasn't some fragile flower that needed protecting. But she appreciated that Mike wasn't pointing out how dangerous her job could be, which most guys would, if they had any idea what she really did. "I punched him and broke his nose."

Mike kissed her wrist once more before releasing her hand and giving back her beer, "Remind me not to piss you off."

"Do you two want the rest of us to leave?" Johnny asked. "Cause if you want some alone time, you have a room."

"Two rooms," Charlie said.

Paige rolled her eyes and kissed Mike on the cheek, "Jealous cause you're sleeping alone Johnny?"

"What? No!" Johnny insisted. "I just saw this girl last night, let me tell you - "

"How about you don't tell us," Jakes said.

"This girl, she was a perfect ten though. Stunning," Johnny said. "Briggs, you saw her."

"So why was she with you?" Mike asked, his warm smile taking the malice out of his words. Everyone laughed as Johnny shook his head.

"You're lucky that your girl has a mean right hook," Johnny said, waving his beer bottle at the pair. "You should've seen this guy. He grabbed P, threw her against the wall and she went all bad ass on him."

"Bad ass, huh?" Mike murmured. "Sounds hot."

"You better behave."

"If I don't?" Mike nibbled her ear, "You gonna make me?"

"That can be arranged," Paige whispered, before turning to kiss him, tugging slightly on his shirt.

"Hey! Enough of that!" Johnny shouted. "I'm in the middle of a story."

Paige pulled away from Mike, laughing as Mike snuck in one more quick kiss. He started to pull back and she leaned forward, lingering for a few more seconds. "Later," Paige promised. Now she remembered why she and Mike kept their hands to themselves when everyone was around, because once they started it was nearly impossible for them to stop. "Continue."

"So this guy, he's at least twice her size. Paige kneed him in the groin and punched him in the nose. This guy, he's screaming at her. Paige threatened to hit him again if he didn't put his hands up. He was hesitant, because he didn't want to let go of his nose. She aimed her gun at him, threatened to shoot unless he put his hands behind his head, so he did. Blood was squirting _everywhere_. Paige was pissed because - "

"He got blood on my shirt! It was a new shirt!"

"You broke his nose," Johnny reminded her.

Paige waved her hand in front of her, showing off her bruised knuckles. "I know!"

Mike took her hand in his, kissing it before intertwining their fingers and pulling her closer, "Want to get out of here, Rocky? Grab a late dinner or - "

"We could order pizza. They deliver it in a box, you know. In case you need some to play drill sergeant with Bello's men. I know they have their WQB's, but - "

"You heard?" Mike laughed, shaking his head.

"Yes and luckily for me, you're a quick thinker. Because..." Paige leaned forward, lightly brushing her lips over his. "I need your assistance with something very important, Special Agent Warren."

"Assistance?" Mike asked, grinning. "Do you need a hand with something, Special Agent Arkin?"

"Or two."

"Just so happens that I'm free for the evening. Bello doesn't need me tonight."

"I thought you were hungry."

Mike shrugged, "I am." He pressed his lips against hers, "For you." Mike hopped up and reached for her hand, ignoring the snickers from their roommates as he pulled Paige to her feet.

"Early night?" Charlie asked.

Paige mischievously smiled at the playful look in Mike's eyes, "Something like that."


	5. Chapter 5: FINE

**A/N:** If you're unfamiliar with the acronym, F.I.N.E. stands for **F**ucked Up, **I**nsecure, **N**eurotic, and **E**motional, yet oddly the song of the same name didn't inspire this fic, a Seinfeld episode did. In case you haven't figured it out, Johnny messing with Pike is one of my favorite things.

I'm in edit mode for, "Bloodstains on My Hands." It's angsty...really angsty, but I promise there are some lighter moments (flashbacks) ahead. But until then, my brain needed a break. So enjoy and let me know what you think.

* * *

><p>Paige pulled her final birthday gift out of the box and looked at Mike strangely. "You got me a skull? Should I be concerned?" Why would he buy her a calavera? She didn't celebrate the Day of the Dead. It also wasn't anywhere near October.<p>

The room was filled with an awkward silence as the rest of their roommates waited for Mike to explain his choice in gifts.

"It's tequila," Mike explained.

"Tequila?" Paige asked. Alcohol? He seriously bought her alcohol for her birthday? Her annoyance level rose with each passing second. Could he have picked a more impersonal gift? Why not get her a gift card or something? Forcing a smile on her face, she put it back in the box and shoved the lid on. "Maybe we can do shots later or something."

"I have a feeling they won't be body shots," Johnny muttered.

"Johnny!" Charlie said, smacking him on the arm.

Johnny glared at her as he rubbed his arm. "You think they will be? Cause if they are, I want to see that."

Paige rolled her eyes at Johnny's immaturity, but he was right. Mike was not getting anywhere near her tonight.

"At least it's good tequila," Jakes said. "Levi, I want whiskey for my birthday."

Paige started shoving the rest of her gifts back in the gift bags. "Alcohol's such a versatile gift. Great for all occasions and all roommates." Especially the one he was sleeping with. Apparently.

Mike stepped closer to her, and lowered his voice, "Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you? It's not like you forgot my birthday." Paige held up the box, "You even wrapped my gift." She wondered how much of a scene it would cause if she threw that skull at Mike. So maybe they weren't dating, but they had been sleeping together for weeks. And all he could come up with to get her was tequila? Okay, so she had to admit the bottle looked pretty cool, but still. Tequila? That could've been a gift from anyone. Jakes could've given this to her and she would've been happy. But instead he got her a pair of sunglasses because he knew she lost hers the week before. He even went to three stores to find her the exact same pair. Mike went to the corner liquor store. Probably picked up her gift while on a liquor run for Bello.

"Look, can we talk privately?" Mike asked. "I feel like I need to explain."

Paige tightly smiled at him, "Explain what? It's fine."

Everyone groaned at Paige's choice in words. Everything was not fine. "Come on MIkey, it's like you've never dated a girl before," Johnny said.

"We're not dating," MIke and Paige answered in unison.

Just because they were sleeping together, didn't mean they were dating. They were friends. Friends with benefits. But good enough friends that Mike should've been able to come up with a better gift than a fifth of tequila. Did he know her at all? Was that how he saw her? Just some party girl? She wasn't expecting a diamond bracelet or anything like that. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she was expecting something that showed he knew her.

Briggs laughed, "You say that now."

Paige glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Right, keep saying that enough and maybe it'll be true. Mike, I know you have your own room, but you want might want to sleep downstairs tonight. No guns are allowed downstairs, but you might want to keep it under your pillow just for tonight. Or if you stay in your room, lock your bedroom door because your girl is pissed. Paige might say things are fine, but she's pissed."

Paige turned to face Johnny. Maybe she was trying to avoid an argument with Mike in front of everyone, but she didn't need to avoid fighting with Johnny. "I'm not his girl," Paige said, stepping closer to Johnny.

"The lady doth protest too much," Briggs added.

"Stay out of it," Paige said.

"I'm just pointing out, more so for his benefit than yours, that you two had a good thing going. But I'm wondering - Mike, he wasn't like a virgin or anything before you?"

"Oh my God," Paige muttered in disbelief. This conversation was really happening. It was like a bad dream. Or one of those reality shows. If this wasn't a house filled with undercover agents, she'd be looking for the camera crew right about now.

"No!" Mike defensively said, motioning for Paige to speak up. "I was not a virgin!"

"Was it like a dry spell or something?" Johnny asked. "Because if you screwed up this badly, I'm wondering how you ever get laid. This is worse than you burning Hector's."

It was her birthday. The guy she had been sleeping with bought her tequila and this conversation was never going to end unless she defended Mike's sexual prowess. She was going to kill him. But not right now. First she had to deal with Johnny. Paige patted Johnny's chest, "Trust me Johnny, he definitely wasn't a virgin. Far from blushing too. The first time we slept together he - "

"Okay, okay," Johnny said. "So he wasn't a virgin, but he still screwed up."

"Should you be this interested in our sex life?" Mike asked.

Now he could speak? After she defended his manhood, he found his voice? "Shouldn't you?" Paige asked, grabbing her things and heading upstairs. "Charlie, do you want to go out? Just the two of us? Impromptu girls night?"

"Sure, if you want," Charlie said, darting her eyes to Mike. "I thought - "

"Great, I'll let you know when I'm ready," Paige called over her shoulder.

Mike caught up with her on the stairs, "Look, I know you're mad."

"Why didn't you just give me cash? Or better yet, you could've taken me to the shooting range!"

"Did you want cash?" Mike asked as Paige continued to sprint up the stairs. This night was not going as planned. His uncertainty and hesitation about labeling their thing made him screw things up. He knew what kind of gift to get his roommate. Knew what kind of gift to get his girlfriend. Knew what to get a co-worker. But he had no clue what to get the girl he was sleeping with that wasn't his girlfriend but was his roommate and co-worker. This was one of those things he wished was covered in the FBI manual. Or in any manual. Sleeping with your roommate for Dummies or something.

Paige stopped in front of her bedroom, "No, I didn't want cash! Fuck, I just wanted something, I don't know. Just something that you didn't pick up at a liquor store!"

Mike placed his hand on the doorknob, "I'm sorry, I just - everything's all mixed up with us. I thought..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head. "Look, let me make it up to you."

Paige sighed and turned so she was leaning against the door. "Mike, it's fine. Really."

Fine.

There was that word again. Paige wasn't fine, she was livid. And unless he fixed it, he was going to be sleeping alone for the foreseeable future. "Let me take you out tonight." He'd take her to one of those clubs he hated because he couldn't hear himself think. He wouldn't complain once if she kept him on the dance floor all night. Maybe he should've done that in the first place. "Anywhere you want to go."

"I'm going to go out with Charlie. Blow off some steam."

He had a flash of jealousy at the thought of Paige blowing off steam with someone else. Not that she didn't have the right. They still hadn't officially had any sort of talk. But they were exclusive. They spent so much time together, they didn't have time for other people. But he hated the idea of Paige turning to some other guy because he overthought things. Mike stepped closer, effectively caging her body against the door.

"Mike..." Paige placed her hand on his chest, breathing his name out slowly. "I'm annoyed right now, but I'll get over it. I really want to go out with Charlie tonight. You can grovel tomorrow. And I expect a lot of groveling."

"Duly noted." Mike stepped back and Paige rolled her eyes when he didn't make a move to leave. She turned around and opened the door and turned on the light. He stood behind her, waiting for her reaction. Maybe he messed up downstairs, but he was hoping this would help make things right.

The six of them had gone out to dinner together, but he was the last one to leave the house, pretending he had an important call to take from Bello. As soon as she left, he hung up countless strands of white Christmas lights in her room, messing with the cords so when she turned on her lamp they would light up. Left her a bouquet of flowers on her nightstand. Orchids, because they were her favorite. There were other flowers in the arrangement, but he had no clue what they were. He just told the florist that anything but roses was okay. He felt like just getting her flowers was pushing his luck. A dozen red roses would send her running. Although, the tequila he had given her earlier, almost did just that.

"Happy Birthday," Mike whispered, pressing his lips to the back of her neck.

Paige turned around and smacked his chest. Laughing, he grabbed her wrist and she backed up, pulling him into her room with her. "I hate you. What was all of that downstairs?"

"Aside from a bad idea? That was me trying to keep things friendly." Mike reached for her hands, lacing their fingers together. He didn't really want to have this conversation now, but he wanted her to understand that he saw her as more. More than a hookup. More than his roommate. Friend. Coworker. But he also wanted to be respectful of the fact that he was clear on the rules of their arrangement. But the lines were so blurred between them. Paige wasn't just someone he hooked up with. They spent a lot of time together. Between work and living together and their thing, it was hard to just see her as a casual hookup. But they weren't dating. "I wasn't sure how to celebrate. When it's just us, things are different. And we're not technically dating..." Mike's voice trailed off and he lifted their joined hands to kiss hers. "It's your birthday and I wanted to make tonight special for you, but I didn't need everyone involved. I hope all this is okay."

He nervously waited for her reaction. He had been into Paige the first night he saw her. And now that they were together, but not technically together, he was more into her than he thought he would be. He wasn't sure how much longer he could go on sleeping with her, but not dating her. He wanted to revisit their earlier talk about their arrangement, but tonight definitely wasn't the time to do it.

"It's fine. And this time, I really do mean it's fine." Paige finally noticed the envelope on her bed and she opened it, pulling out a pair of concert tickets. "I can't believe you got tickets! I tried getting tickets but this sold out in twenty minutes. Thank you!"

Mike smiled, happy he got her real birthday gift right. "I know how much you wanted to go."

Paige set the tickets on her nightstand and motioned to the picnic baskets in front of her bed. "I'm guessing you have something else planned, but why are there two picnic baskets?"

"One is more casual. The other is a little more..." Mike hesitated, not wanting to use the word romantic.

Without waiting for him to finish, Paige started rifling through both baskets, pulling a bottle of wine and wine glasses from one and putting them in the other. "We'll have a casual more picnic."

Mike walked over to her, circling his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. He settled his lips on her neck as his fingers toyed with the hem on her shirt. "Are you still going out with Charlie?"

Paige turned around and grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer. "I changed my mind. I think I'll stay in. Blow off some steam. Maybe take a midnight swim. Have a moonlit picnic with a hot guy. Do you think Johnny's free?"

Mike shook his head. "I think he's busy."

Paige hooked her fingers on his belt loop, pulling him closer. "What about you? You free?"

"I'm all yours."

* * *

><p><strong>check my bio page for updates<strong>

**google kah reposado if you want to see the tequila bottle Mike bought Paige. It's good tequila.**


	6. Chapter 6: Life Raft

**A/N: I meant it when I said this was a series of oneshots, but I didn't mean to neglect this uverse for as long as I have. Hopefully it won't be as long before there's another addition. Enjoy :)**

* * *

><p>Mike stared at the sink as if he was in a daze. The water overflowed from the pot, spilling into the sink. No matter how many times he washed it, all he could see was the sauce stained pot, reminding him of Eddie's blood splattered on the pavement.<p>

"I think it's clean now," Paige gently said, reaching past him and turning off the kitchen faucet.

He stared at her blankly for a few seconds. He hadn't even noticed that she entered the kitchen.

"Is it?"

Paige looked at him for a moment before glancing in the sink, "The pan is."

His eyes closed as she dumped out the water and set it on the counter to dry. The clattering of the pan took him back to the chaos from earlier that evening.

Today should have been a great day.

He had been hearing about Charlie's sauce for days. He skipped his last two meals to make sure he was hungry enough to eat. He had a feeling that telling Charlie he was full from lunch and would have some the next day wouldn't go over so well. Not to mention that there was no such thing as leftovers on sauce night.

With the exception of tonight.

While part of him appreciated that Charlie set aside a plate for him, the thought of eating anything red made his stomach turn.

The memory of what happened to Eddie and his own part in his death was fresh on his mind. Mike knew that the moment Bello believed Eddie sold him out to Bobby Moi, he would kill Eddie. Yet he let Briggs talk him into it. There should have been something he could've done to save Eddie's life and keep his cover. Maybe Eddie's death wasn't his fault, but it weighed on his conscience.

A man's death was orchestrated to keep his cover.

"Hey," Paige softly said. She touched his chin to pull him out of his thoughts. "Look at me."

Mike opened his eyes and stepped away from the sink. "I'm fine," Mike insisted, immediately noting the worry in Paige's eyes. He shrugged off her concern and wiped his wet hands on his jeans. His eyes darted around the kitchen, relieved that he didn't see any sauce remnants anywhere in the kitchen, but now that all the dishes were clean and dry, he needed to put everything away. Staying busy would help keep his mind from wandering. "It's late, you should go to bed."

Paige bristled at his words, clearly catching the implication that she should go to bed without him. Technically, they weren't dating, but they had been growing closer since her birthday a few weeks ago. Spending more and more time together. The only thing missing from their relationship was the label. Now wasn't the time to deal with any of that, but Mike didn't need to deal with any of this alone.

Paige reached for his hand, breathing a sigh of relief that he didn't push her away. "I can help you finish cleaning up."

"I really want to be alone right now," Mike quietly said, gently squeezing her hand. He appreciated that Paige wanted to help, really he did, but unless he specifically asked her to leave, she wouldn't. Although, there was a chance that she wouldn't leave him alone even after he asked her to.

She was stubborn like that.

A quality he had grown to appreciate, because he was just as stubborn.

Mike stepped away from her and headed over to the dishwasher, hoping Paige would take the hint, but instead she walked up next to him, so they were side by side. She loosely wrapped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"We don't have to talk," Paige said. She really wasn't sure that Mike should be alone right now. She remembered the first night she saw someone die up close and personal. A bust had gone wrong, and her mark pulled a gun on another agent's head and tried to use him as leverage to make a deal. A sniper from the TAC team took out the mark. Seeing him fall to the ground and bleed out in front of her haunted her dreams for weeks, but what she saw was nothing compared to what Mike had been through. She had never been in any real danger that night. The situation escalated and gotten out of control, but a gun had never been pointed at her. There was a difference between an agent shooting someone to save another agent's life, and someone killing themselves to prove their loyalty to a criminal.

Mike took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to the top of her head and pulled away. For a moment, she thought he was going to try sending her upstairs again, but instead he opened the dishwasher and started handing her dishes. The worked in silence as they put away the dishes and dried all of the pans. She thought he was going to suggest mopping the floor when he pulled her in his arms instead.

Paige relaxed in his embrace, trying her best to comfort him and reassure him while keeping her promise not to say anything. Mike was in a really fragile place right now and she didn't want to give him a reason to push her away. Not that she would pay attention, but she really didn't want to risk alienating him if she didn't have to.

Mike tightened his hold on her for a few seconds before pulling away. "Thank you."

Paige reached for his hand and started leading him upstairs, unsure what the rest of the night held for them. She wasn't looking for sex, but she didn't want him to be alone. Hell, she didn't want to be alone, but she needed to give Mike some space if that was really what he needed.

Mike tugged on her hand and led her to one of the couches, motioning for her to sit down next to him. "A man died today, because of me. We set him up to die and he did."

"It could've been you," Paige whispered with a shaky breath. Briggs gave her a full update on what happened earlier. That for a moment after the gun went off, that he thought Mike had been the one shot. It just as easily could've been Mike, if Bello had believed Eddie. If Eddie wasn't so resolute in his loyalty to Bello, that he was willing to die to prove it. It could've been Mike. "It was almost you. It's selfish and I'm selfish because I'm glad it wasn't."

Paige blinked back tears, cursing herself for making this about her. Mike was drowning in guilt and all she could think about how was relieved she was that it wasn't him. When did she become that woman? The type of woman that freaked out on the scene the moment there was any danger to her man? That wasn't her. But she couldn't ignore the fact that Mike could have died earlier. As much as she prided herself on being tough, she couldn't pretend that it didn't affect her on some level.

Mike started shaking as he fought back tears and the moment her arms wrapped around him, he broke down. Paige held him tight, trying to whisper soothing words to him, but none of it mattered. Mike felt guilty because Eddie died. He wasn't like Briggs. He didn't see Eddie's death as collateral damage to nail Bello. Mike was going to carry this, because that was who he was.

It was her job to make sure he didn't drown in the guilt.

* * *

><p>Paige slowly opened her eyes, holding up her hand to block the sun, before burying her face in Mike's chest. Mike was half-asleep, but he pulled her closer.<p>

Despite knowing every inch, every birthmark and every scar on Mike's body, being in his arms like this felt strangely intimate. Almost too intimate.

Waking up in Mike's arms wasn't unusual, but last night marked the first time they slept together without having sex. It was also the first time they spent the night downstairs. They spent most nights together, but last night had been different.

After Mike calmed down, they talked for a while. Neither of them felt like moving, so they settled in next to each other on the couch, talking about everything and nothing. They talked about their childhoods. Favorite movies. College adventures. Places they wanted to visit. The only topic they avoided was work.

She wasn't sure who fell asleep first, but Mike woke up more than a few times during the night. She was sure it was nightmares, but he didn't offer to explain what woke him and she didn't ask. He apologized for waking her, but she assured him it was fine, not wanting to admit that her mind was still on overload and she was having a hard time sleeping. But each time Mike awoke, she brushed her lips over his and nestled further into his embrace, calming him down before he fell back into a fitful sleep.

Paige could hear people starting to trickle downstairs and the last thing she wanted to do right now was move. Neither of them had gotten much sleep last night and she would love to shut out the rest of the world, at least for a few more hours, but they had roommates and apparently everyone was up early today.

"I'm up early because of you, the least you could do is make pancakes," Jakes said.

"Sounds like a plan," Briggs agreed.

"I made breakfast three days this week," Johnny complained.

"Then it sounds like you have it under control," Jakes said. "Might want to get a tray together for the lovebirds."

Paige started to get up, but Mike tightened his arm around her waist.

"Leave them alone, they look cute," Charlie said.

"They have their own rooms, they don't need to be hooking up downstairs," Johnny said.

"Like you haven't?" Jakes asked.

"That was a civilian! She couldn't go upstairs."

"Hey guys," Briggs began.

Mike tensed as Briggs spoke to the rest of the house in a hushed voice, no doubt explaining what had happened the night before with Eddie. The comments stopped and everyone silently walked by them on their way to the kitchen.

Paige looked at him, silently asking if he was okay. Mike nodded and she untangled herself from him and got up from the couch. Mike immediately pulled her back to him and kissed her.

"Thank you," Mike murmured against her lips. "This isn't what you signed up for."

Paige met his eyes before quickly looking down, sensing that the talk they had been long overdue for would happen soon. "Whatever it is that we are to each other, we're friends. I care about you." They were more than friends with benefits. Maybe they were dating. She wasn't sure.

"I care about you too."

They sat in silence for a few more moments, listening to their roommates bicker over who should make breakfast. "Johnny doesn't really want to cook, maybe I'll go make breakfast," Paige offered.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

She smacked his chest, "Shut up. I can make oatmeal! Just a few weeks ago, I made french toast!"

Mike shook his head and silenced her with a kiss, deciding not to point out that she burned the first two pieces. He knew Paige cared about him, but her actually admitting it was huge. They hadn't really talked about relationships other than her saying she wasn't looking for one after the first night they spent together. "Tell me what you want for breakfast."

"You sure?"

"I'll be okay."

Paige stared into his eyes for a few moments before nodding, "That egg thing you make. I want that."

"A frittata?" Mike asked. Paige nodded in response. "Okay."

Paige stood up and she reached for his hand, silently leading him to the kitchen. They were both well aware that he was now the center of attention. Paige kissed his cheek before wandering across the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

"I can cook if you don't want to," Mike offered.

Jakes patted him on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it, Levi. Johnny can make pancakes in his sleep." Jakes glanced at Johnny, silently daring him to object.

"It's not a big deal," Johnny said. He went to the refrigerator and started pulling out ingredients. "Hey, Briggs did you remember to buy syrup? We're almost out. Anyone want jam?"

Briggs reached in the cupboard and set a bottle of maple syrup on the counter. "We are all set."

"You sure you're okay, Mikey?" Charlie asked.

Mike met Paige's eyes across the room and nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to be just fine."


End file.
